Iguazu Falls

Iguazu Falls

January 11th - 12th, 2016

On our arrival at Iguazu Airport (Argentina) we are greeted by a temperature in the mid-       thirties and 95% humidity! It's quite a drive to our very nice hotel which is an oasis in an       ‘interesting’ back street, with a few indeterminate shops around. Later in the evening we find that around the corner and up a bit, there is a shopping strip and some nice restaurants,     one of which gets our custom on both nights of our stay.

We are here to visit the famous Iguazu (meaning “big waters” in Guarani language) Falls.    There are approx. 270 separate falls in the area during wet months with a minimum of 150  during dry months, the majority being in Argentina. This afternoon we make a 2 hour trip to  the Brazillian side for which we require a visa.This proves to be quite painless - we obtained our visa in Australia and the local tour guide does the leg work at the border.

Very briefly, and quoting the National Park brochure:

“Millions of years formed the basalt in rocks canyon where the Iguazu river falls, coming       from 1,320 kilometers away in a place called Serra do Mar (Curitiba) and 20 kilometres       downstream the canyon joins the Parana river, where Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil meet  in a triple frontier borderline”

Heavy rain has been falling in the Falls catchment and the tour guide explains that the water is usually white, but today it is brown. The good bit is that they are absolutely roaring!          Agoutis, not easy to see, wander around and notices are posted warning of the danger of    rabies if bitten by the quatis and monkeys which hang around in the hope that tourists will    feed them. There is only one trail on this side of the Falls - easy walking with many viewing points along the way - a wonderful spectacle! Most visitors walk down a staircase and onto  the ‘bridge’ which looks down “The Devil’s Throat” - here they get a massive shower which   causes great delight! It is here that I meet Debbie & Owen West from Brisbane and discover that we will be travelling together on the ‘Ocean Diamond' to Antarctica.

Next morning, outside the hotel breakfast room, we are delighted to see humming-birds       around the bird feeders in the garden. At last we have a fighting chance of getting a photo of these magic wee birds! Not in ‘the wild’, strictly speaking, but we take the opportunity.

Our enthusiastic guide for the Iguazu Falls, Argentina side, is Horatio and he is keen to stay ahead of the ‘tour groups’ (he doesn’t put our 12 in that category!) This side of the Falls is   served by a train which travels the perimeter and saves quite a few kms of walking, so we   hurry to get the first one of the day. We see the ‘other’ side of “The Devil's Throat” from a    walkway almost on top of the actual Falls...most spectacular. From this viewpoint, there are cascades almost 360°!  It is hot and we are pleased to be walking the Upper Circuit this     morning before the sun is directly overhead as the walkways are all metal, it is quite             exposed and there is very little shade. There are too many Falls to name but each is            spectacular in its own way.

As well as walking and train riding, folk can go canoeing (when suitable, which is not today   because of the high water level and the extreme conditions on the water) or jet boat riding. After lunch, taken in a Food Court ‘oasis’ which, not surprisingly also has a souvenir/gift       shop, we lose a few new friends to the lure of the jet boat while we walk the Lower Circuit.  The Falls on this circuit tend to be not as spectacularly huge but are special in different       ways; narrow, tumbling from a great height between rocks and greenery; cascades rippling over rocks before making their way back to the main river. On this trail there are many cool places to rest and have contemplative moments.

Given the amount of water we experienced today, it is a little surprising that we return to the hotel dry and dusty and very much in need of a shower. However, when discover that the     temperature reached around 35°C, maybe not...

(More photos at www.flickr.com  in johnholmanadventure and click on Albums)



The Devil's Throat









The 'Bridge'










One of the numerous quatis.







The tourist train













From the Upper Circuit, Argentinian side of the falls






From the Lower Circuit.

 

 


 

  
 
 
 
 
 

Buenos Aires



Buenos Aires

 

January 6th -10th 2016 

We leave home in Geelong, Victoria, Australia at 5.15am on Wednesday morning for our flight to Buenos Aires from Melbourne, via Sydney, and Santiago,       Chile. We arrive at our hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina some 36 hours later and it’s still Wednesday!

Our days here are variously spent on pre-booked activities and self-guided       wanderings.  We take a small group city tour which serves to familiarise us with this large bustling city where taxis rule, police presence is very noticeable,         footpaths need some (lots of!) attention, folk are generally pleasant and helpful, and the only place we can find a soy latte is Starbucks!! 

First stop is the Cemetery where we find the tomb of the Duarte family where   Eva Peron was eventually buried, some 20 years after her death.

We spend time in La Boca precinct - Caminito Street, with its colourful, arty       culture and where Evita, Maradona and Carlos Gardelle (’father’ of the tango)    are celebrated, is a highlight. The home pitch of Maradona's home club, Boca    Junior, is nearby.

The main City Square is an experience of another kind.  Ever present political    activity with peaceful demonstrations happening almost all the time.  Nearby is  the “Pink Palace” which now houses government offices, but is famous as the    place where Evita delivered her famous speech to the people of Argentina.        There is a heavy steel fence surrounding the Square with gates allowing access - these are closed when activities need to be controlled.  All public buildings      around the Square are guarded by armed police, including the Cathedral, the   ‘home church’ of Pope Francis.

There are many parks in the city. In one of them, we find a giant metal flower.  It is hydraulically operated and opens as the sun rises, is fully open in full sun,  and closes as the sun sets...quite an amazing piece of technology.

Our only contact with the tango up till now is an occasional glance at    “Dancing with the Stars.”  A ‘dinner & show’ evening (so very us!) gives us a whole new  perspective - the ‘theatre’ of the modern tango, the almost gymnastic abilities  of the dancers, and, to conclude, the dramatic and sensual ‘classic’ tango         performed by a mature aged couple.

Estancia Santa Susana is a working ranch some way out of the city where         gauchos (cowboys/horsemen/jackeroos) work with cattle.  The owners also run a ‘tourist’ ranch which is where we go for a day trip to see how it all works.  The original family chapel and homestead serve as a museum. Furnishings and        household items, mostly original, along with family photos stretching back        several generations are displayed. Visitors can ride a horse, take a wagon ride,  spend time watching birds, particularly the national bird of Argentina, the         Hornero, or meet the iguanas wandering among the pampas. We have a lunch   which could only be described as   ‘Carnivore Heaven’ - Black Angus steak,        chorizo & chicken, filet mignon & black pudding washed down with local wines & beer - before watching the ‘gauchos’ do some trick riding. Interesting, but        probably not how the real ranch works.

Like all really big cities, we find Buenos Aires a mix of ‘haves’ and ‘have nots,’  where men in suits make their way past beggars on the streets, where families play in the parks, where tourists move through like a swarm of bees, and where you are safe unless...

...a man comes and stands beside us at traffic lights. He points to John’s shirt   and then to the sky indicating that a bird has pooped on him. He pulls a handful of paper towels from his pocket and starts to clean the   “poop” asking John to  remove his backpack.  No luck there so points to my shirt...I have the same    mess.  Take off my shoulder bag? Don’t think so! Short story is that we have been ‘mustard bombed’...a trick, usually perpetrated by a group of 2 or 3, but this time the ‘victim’ wins and our  ‘good samaritan’ leaves empty handed.

Farewell Buenos Aires!

Caminito Street

The 'Pink Palace' from which Evita delivered her famous address

 

 












The 'flower' which opens to the sun each morning.















The dining area at Estancia Santa Susana 





























(More photos at www.flickr.com  in johnholmanadventure and click on Albums)